Report: Syria hiding Iraqi WMD

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, January 6, 2004

[JohnHuang2]

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
Report: Syria hiding Iraqi WMD
Sources say relative of President Assad smuggled arms to 3 places

---

Posted: January 6, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

A relative of Syrian President Bashar Assad is hiding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction in three locations in Syria, according to intelligence sources cited by an exiled opposition party.

The weapons were smuggled in large wooden crates and barrels by Zu Alhema al-Shaleesh, known for moving arms into Iraq in violation of U.N. resolutions and for sending recruits to fight coalition forces, said the U.S.-based Reform Party of Syria.

The party, based in Potomac, Md., regards itself as a secular body comprised of Syrians who want to see the country embrace "real democratic and economic reforms."

One weapons-cache location identified by the sources is a mountain tunnel near the village of al-Baidah in northwest Syria, the report said. The tunnel is known to house a branch of the Assad regime's national security apparatus.

Two other arms supplies are reported to be in west-central Syria. One is hidden at a factory operated by the Syrian Air Force, near the village of Tal Snan, between the cities of Hama and Salmiyeh. The third location is tunnels beneath the small town of Shinshar, which belongs to the 661 battalion of the Syrian Air Force.

The nephew of Zu Alhema al-Shaleesh, Assef al-Shaleesh, runs Al Bashair Trading Co., a front for the Assad family involved prior to the war in oil smuggling from Iraq and arms smuggling into the country. Al-Bashair has offices in Damascus, Beirut and Baghdad.

In an exclusive interview yesterday with the London Telegraph, Assad came close to admitting his country possessed stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.

Assad told the London paper Syria rejects American and British demands for concessions on weapons of mass destruction, insisting Damascus is entitled to defend itself by acquiring its own chemical and biological deterrent.

He said Israel must agree to abandon its undeclared nuclear arsenal in order for Syria to consider any deal with the U.S.

Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported Al Bashair Trading Co. participated in the smuggling of millions of dollars worth of sophisticated arms and equipment to Saddam Hussein for three years prior to the Iraqi leader's overthrow.

Al Bashair executives met with North Korean firms before the war began, according to the Los Angeles daily. The paper's three-month investigation included the translation of 800 signed contracts found in the Al Bashair Trading Co. office shortly before U.S. troops entered Baghdad.

Just prior to the U.S.-led effort to oust Hussein, SES International Corp. signed at least 50 contracts to supply weapons and gear to Iraq, the Times said, including 1,000 heavy machine guns and up to 20 million bullets for assault rifles.

Not all the weapons were delivered, but some may still be in use by terrorists battling the U.S. occupation forces, the newspaper said.

At least one shipment of arms was completed with the help of the Syrian government in violation of a U.N. arms embargo.

SES International Corp. denied any wrongdoing, while Syria's foreign ministry refused to comment to the Times.

---

[Skywarner]

we should begin the better "dialogue" with Syria off like this:

"So, where are the weapons? If you can't locate them, we'd be glad to have the 4th ID help you in a gesture of good faith." ;-)

[bushfamfan]

Is our government that far behind in taking this into account? The Israeli intel, which does very good in regards to knowing what its enemies are up to, was reporting this before the war with the UN inspections starting up again, saying how they were shipping to Syria and Syria's stance of support for the regime, etc.

[Go Gordon]

They were shouting about no WMDS being found even before the war was over.

And when it is finally determined that Saddam gave up his weapons (to Syria) the RATs will blame Bush for attacking the wrong country. They'll wail about all the innocent Iraqi's that died because Bush was soooo stupid, he didn't know which country to attack, and if he did know, he attacked Iraq anyway because it was all about oil.

[Skywarner]

"And when it is finally determined that Saddam gave up his weapons (to Syria) the RATs will blame Bush for attacking the wrong country. They'll wail about all the innocent Iraqi's that died because Bush was soooo stupid, he didn't know which country to attack, and if he did know, he attacked Iraq anyway because it was all about oil."

The Dems really shouldn't try that if they're smart (no pun intended). After Pearl Harbor was attacked, we declared war on Germany and Italy even though it was Japan that attacked us. We weren't stupid back then, and we shouldn't be stupid now.

That being said, I would fully expect most (not all) of the nine dwarfs to make comments like this attacking the President for freeing the "wrong" country. One notable exception would be Lieberman who, while a liberal, is at least intelligent when it comes to matters of national security.

Why aren't any of the national media outlets mentioning this Syrian story yet??? This should be front page news - not Britanny's marriage/annulment/free PR. What the %^$!

[Grampa Dave]

"When it is finally determined that Saddam gave up his weapons (to Syria) the RATs will blame Bush for attacking the wrong country. They'll wail about all the innocent Iraqi's that died because Bush was soooo stupid, he didn't know which country to attack, and if he did know, he attacked Iraq anyway because it was all about oil."

The RNC should hire you to predict what the Rats will say and try to do.

[nightdriver]

That guy Assad sure had a helluva long neck, doesn't he?

[nightdriver]

had = has (need coffee!)

[jerseygirl]

Yeas, I also recall Debka reporting on this.

[BOBTHENAILER]

One weapons-cache location identified by the sources is a mountain tunnel near the village of al-Baidah in northwest Syria, the report said.

GPS coordinates are already programmed into many and various weapons platforms.....tick, tock, tick, tock.

[Grampa Dave]

On a random basis, we need to fire off our older missiles to these GPS coordinates to get rid of the old inventory.

We can rush in a fake aspirin factory to shut up the rats after each inventory clearance.

[BOBTHENAILER]

On a random basis, we need to fire off our older missiles to these GPS coordinates to get rid of the old inventory.

Inventory reduction sale....great idea. We'll need the newer models elsewhere.

[Grampa Dave]

The clearance of those missiles will be "donations" to the Axis of Evil country that earns them. No haggling over the price. Here is your missile Mr A$$ad.!

[Ohioan]

The Dems really shouldn't try that if they're smart (no pun intended). After Pearl Harbor was attacked, we declared war on Germany and Italy even though it was Japan that attacked us. We weren't stupid back then, and we shouldn't be stupid now.

That is really not true. The sequence was that the Japanese attacked. The next day, Congress declared War on the Empire of Japan. The following day, Hitler declared War on the United States, and we responded by declaring War on Germany. Recheck your sources.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[Henchman]

I saw the comments on DEBKAfiles and agree, they did report it months ago, before the invasion of Iraq. Debka stated the WMD were in the Bakka Valley, if I spelled it right.

But gee, that can't be true! Evry time I mentioned Debka in the past I was told how I was wrong and so was Debka. Guess Freepers have a PC code of their own. Nothing like an open shut mind.

[American in Israel]

Drop one bunker buster in each spot, kinda like what Israel did to that Terrorist camp. Nobody went there for weeks waiting for the nerve gas to dissipate. (That is the only reason they cordoned it off IMHO)

[CWOJackson]

Interesting read.

[truth_seeker]

Syria is "cruisin' for a bruisin."

Strike Iraq (and possibly North Korea) from Axis of Evil.

Add Syria. Regardless of sentiments to the contrary by France, Germany, Russia, the EU, the UN, the League of Arab Nations, and islamic terrorists (which includes various palistinians).